How Our T-Shirt is Made

It's important for people to know how, and where their clothing is made.

Although, many of us don't really want to know, we need to know as a society so that we can become more educated in our choices.

I want people to become more aware so they can choose better. Realizing that not every item in your closet will be the most ethically made or produced item, even if incrementally you are adding a few pieces a year that fit the bill, you are moving towards positive change.

Though, there is no such thing as a perfectly ethical/green item of clothing (everything uses energy, resources to produce), it is becoming easier to choose better and more ethical options for your clothing.

Our goal at Encircled is not to make you feel bad for wearing what you wear but to encourage you to be more mindful with your clothing purchases.

This is illustrated by the now infamous mantra of Vivienne Westwood, "Buy Less, Choose Well."

I'd like to share with the journey/lifecycle of our Nomadic V-Neck, which is quickly becoming one of our most popular items.

MAKING THE FABRIC

Our Fabric, Modal, is derived from the reconstituted Beech Tree pulp from sustainably harvested trees in Europe + spun into Fiber.

Modal production uses 1/20th of the water of cotton production + no wastewater is emitted back into the environment (closed loop). Did you know one plain cotton t-shirt uses up to 7.5 bathtubs of water to produce?

Dyes are low impact, azo-free + toxin free + meet Oeko-Tex Standard 100 guidelines. Fabric is a mix of North American-knit + imported. As we grow, we will be able to knit more of our own fabric locally.

ON-SHORE PRODUCTION

We sew 100% of our T-Shirts in Toronto, Canada.

 Our Nomadic V-Necks are made by a female-owned manufacturing/sewing contractor about 30 minutes east of downtown Toronto. Just like us, they're a startup who's trying to make a difference in the world through reviving the apparel industry on shore.

By producing on-shore, we ensure fairly paid labour, safe working environments + reduce the emissions from shipping goods in from overseas.

We regularly visit our sewing contractors, many times unannounced, and can attest to the solid working conditions at each contractor.

MINIMALIST PACKAGING

We ship our products without the plastic overwrap.

Those plastic wrap bags are a major contributor to overwhelm on the planet of plastic in our oceans, rivers and landfills.

Instead, we use impermeable recycled polybags as overwap, which are recyclable to get the t-shirt safely to your door.

Our labels are screen printed using water-based inks. Super soft, and eco-friendly.

CLEAN WASHING

Every time you wash your t-shirt, you can feel good knowing you're not adding chemicals to your environment.

Unlike cotton, Modal is pesticide free.

Did you the know the average 200g cotton t-shirt contains 150g of pesticides? Gross. Not only are those pesticides against your skin, but they re-enter the water system every time you wash your garments.

Modal doesn't like dryers and neither does the environment. Air dry + save energy on our t-shirts. Use your hand to reform, or a light iron with a towel under it to straighten any edges post-wash.

The stitches we use will ensure your t-shirt will not warp during washing. 

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

if you no longer want your t-shirt or it doesn't fit, and you dispose of it, It will biodegrade, as our fabric is fully renewable, and will return to the earth. 

Synthetics like polyester have a half-life, and like plastic, will take millions of years to decompose, if ever.

Alternatively, you can donate your old tees to charity, or upcycle into something new. See Pinterest for ideas! 

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post about how our Nomadic V-Neck T-Shirt is made.

If you found this information educational or inspiring, I encourage you to take the time to share it with few friends.

You're welcome to leave a comment below, or click here to tweet the blog post out to the universe.

With wanderlust,

Chief Fashionpreneur, encircled

Love travel? Join our League of Travelistas -- a community for women who love to travel. Click her to request access to our private facebook group.

{All photos (c) Encircled Inc. May be used with appropriate credit back to our site}